Heat generating devices, such as power semiconductor devices, may be coupled to a heat spreader to remove heat and lower the maximum operating temperature of the heat generating device. Typically, one or more semiconductor devices are permanently bonded to a substrate, which is then permanently bonded to a heat spreader, (e.g., metal plate, or a metal heat sink) to form a power module that may be incorporated into a power electronics circuit. However, because of the bonding of the various components, power modules cannot be easily reworked and repaired. In most cases, if one or more of the components of the power module fails, the entire module must be replaced. Further, multiple bonding processes may lead to high temperatures during fabrication, which may damage the semiconductor devices. Additionally, introduction of bonding layers may cause thermal mismatch between the bonding layers and the other components of the power module. High temperatures may also be present during operation of the semiconductor devices.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative power modules that are easily disassembled and have a reduced number of bonding layers.